Relay



March 19, 1935- w. scHAELcHLlN RELAY Filed June 16, 1930 'ATTORNEYPatented Mai. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RELAY WalterSchaelchlin, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric &Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June16, 1930, Serial No. 461,268

7 Claims. (Cl. 200--91) My invention relates to relays and particularlyarmature 12 that it will be balanced on its pivotal to relays, of theelectromagnetic type, adapted for axis. use in alternating-currentsystems.' A spring 16 is provided to normally bias the Sensitiveelectromagnetic relays, built accordarmature 12 to the position shown inthe drawing.

lng to the teachings of the prior art, have gen- The tension of thespring 16 may be varied by 5 erally been unsatisfactory when energizedby an means of an adjusting screw 17, thereby changing alternatingcurrent. The cyclical alternations of the value of current required inthe primary coil the current wave cause the magnet armature to 9 inorder to actuate the armature l2. The vibrate at a frequencycorresponding to the frevalue of current at which the armature 12 willquency of the alternating current. The vibration be actuated may also begoverned by connecting 10 of the armature is transmitted to the contacta variable resistor across the terminals 14 of the members of the relaywhich results in arcing and secondary winding 11. The flux induced inthe burning of the contact members. The vibration coil 11 opposes theflux of the primary coil 9. A may be severe enough to produce an opencircuit graduated scale 18 and a pointer 19 are provided between thecontact members, resulting in the to assist in so adjusting the spring16 that the 15 erratic operation of the system in which the rearmature12 will be actuated when a predeter- `lay is connected. mined value ofcurrent iiows through the coil 9.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is In order that a movablecontact member 20, to provide a sensitive electromagnetic relay whichwhich is disposed to engage a iixed contact mem- 20 shall be simple andefficient in operation, and ber 21,will not be affected by thecycliealvibiation 20 which may be readily and economically manufacof thearmature 12, caused by the varying flux tured in the electromagnet 8when the coil 9 is ener- A more specific object of my invention is togized by an alternating current wave, the Contact prevent vibration ofthe contact members of a member 20 iS mounted 011 a Seperate mechanicalreiay when the magnet eeii is energized by an system from the armature12. In the preferred 25 alternating current embodiment of my invention,illustrated in Figs.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and 1 and 2, the eentaet member20 iS meunted 011 e' objects of the invention, reference may be had torectangular Weight 22, Whieh iS DiVOelly Supthe following detaildescription, taken in conported on a pin 23- The Din 23 extends throughjunction With the aeeeinpanying drawing, in the vertical axis of theweight 22 and is supported 30 which; at the bottom in a cup bearing 24and at the top Figure 1 is e, view, partly in side elevation and by aSleeve bearing 25- A pont may be provided partly in section, of arelayconstructed in accord- 011 the OOOm 0f the Drl 23 Whleh rests 111 theance with my invention; cup bearing 24 in order to reduce the frictionto Fig. 2 is a view, partly in front elevation and a minimum. 35 partlyin section, of the relay, and It will be seen that the weight 22 may beoscil- Fig. 3 is a view, in side elevation, of a modificalated about itspivotal axis to cause the contact tion of the invention. member 20,which is mounted near one end of Referring now to the drawing, a relay6, emthe rectangular weight 2.2, to engage the fixed bodying myinvention, is shown mounted on an Contact member C 21, which is mountedon a 40 insulating panel '7. The relay 6 comprises an elecbracket 26' If1t 1S desired another Contact tromagnet 8 having a primary con 9 and anin member may be mounted near the other end of ductively wound secondarycoil l1. An armature the .rctangular Weght 22 Whlch Wm engage an 12 ispivotany mounted on a bracket lo and dis additional iixed Contactmember. The two sets of i 4' contact members will, therefore, bealternately 4a pPSed to be actuated by ,the C011 9' Cqnnctm closed andopened as the weight 22 is oscillated ulslllrsivae; provided for thewindings about its pivotal axis' l In order that the cyclical vibrationof the In order to provide a relay which is sensitive armature 12 willnot be transmitted to the con- .)o in Operatlon, the electromaenet 8should prefertact member 20, the weight 22 is connected to 50 ably be ofthe air core type, although a magnet the armature 12 by a spring 27.since the spring having an iron core may be utilized if desired. 27 isfastened near one end of the weight 22, the The sensitivity of the relaymay be increased by weight will be oscillated about its pivotal axismounting the armature 12 on ball bearings 15 as the armature 12 isactuated by the coil 9.

to reduce friction and by S0 constructing the With aview to stillfurther preventing the con- 55 tact member 20 from being affected by thecyclical Vibrations of the armature 12, the mass of weight 22 may bemade such that the natural period of vibration of the Weight 22 will bedifferent from the period of vibration of the armature, produced valueof current, the armature-l2 is actuated about its pivotal axis, therebycreating a tension in the spring 27. VAccordingly, the weight 22 isactuated by the spring 2'? and the contact member 20 engages the contactmember 2l. By connecting the contact members in an electrical circuit,through connecting studs 29, switching operations may be performed to'Vcontrol the operation of electrical apparatus, as is well known in theart.` v

By preventing vibration of the contact members of the relay, arcing andburning of the contact members, which results if the Contact membersvibrate while Ycarrying current, is reduced and the life of the contactmembers is greatly increased.

A modication of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 3, in Which partsperforming the same function as those shown in Figs. l and 2 aredesignated by the same reference characters. Y

It will be observed that the principal dinerences between the two relaysare the construction and method of mounting of the weight 22. In Fig. 3the weight 22 is shown as being cylindrical and is mounted on a shaftwhich extends through its horizontal axis instead of through itsvertical axis. Thesprings 16 and 27 are also shown in differentpositions, but they perform the same functions as in theabove-.described relay. Y

While I have described the invention as being applicable to relays whichare energized by alternating current, it will be readily understood bythose familiar with the art that relays constructed in accordance with.my invention, as herein described, may also be energized by directcurrent and satisfactory operation obtained.

Since many modifications may be made in the apparatus and arrangement ofparts without departing from the spirit or" my invention, I do not wishto be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims. v Y

I claim as my invention:

l. In a relay, in combination, a contact member carried by Va pivotallymounted Weight, ,an `armature disposed to oscillate the weight, a coildisposed to actuate the armature when energized, the mass or" the Weightbeing substantiallyA greater than that of the armature, and meansinterposed vbetween the Contact member and the armature to prevent thevibration of the armature being transmitted to the contact member.

' 2. vIn a relay, in combination, an electromagnet comprising a coil andan armature disposed to be actuated by the coil, a contact membermounted on a movable weight of a substantially greater mass than thearmature, said weight being disposed to be oscillated by the armature,and a resilient member interposed between the armature and the weight toprevent the transmission of the vibration of the armature to the contactmember.

3. In a relay, in combination, contact members disposed to be actuatedinto and out of engagement to perform switching operations, a pivotallymounted armature, a coil disposed to actuate the armature whenenergized, a pivotally mounted weight of a substantially greaterv massthan the armature for supporting one of the contact members, said weightbeing disposed to be actuated by the armature to actuate the contactmembers into and out of engagement, and resilient means for connectingthe armature to the weight, thereby preventing the transmission of thearmature vibration to the contact members.

Ll. In a relay, in combination, contact members disposed to be actuatedinto and out of engagement to perform switching operations, a pivotallymounted armature, a coil disposed to actu-ate the armature whenenergized, a spring disposed to normally bias the armature to apredetermined Y position, means for varying the tension oi said spring,a pivotally mounted weight of a substantially greater mass thanthearmature for supporting one of the contact members, said weight beingdisposed to be actuated by the armature to actuate the Contact membersinto and out of engagement, and resilient means for connecting thearmature to the Weight, thereby preventing the transmission of thearmature vibration to the contact members.

5. In a relay, in combination, a magnet coil, a pivotally mountedarmature disposed to be actuated by the coil when energized, a pivotallymounted weight disposed to be actuated by the armature, vresilient meansfor connecting the armature to the weight,faV contact member disposed tobe actuated by the weight, the mass of said weight being such that it isnot aected by the cyclical vibration of the armature when the magnetcoil is energized by an alternating current.

6. In a relay, in combination, a magnet coil, a pivotally mountedarmature disposed to be actuated by the' coil when energized, apivotally mounted weight disposed to'be actuated by the armature,resilient means for connecting the armature to the weight to prevent thevibration of the armature being transmitted to the weight, a contactmember isposed to be actuated bythe Weight, resilient means forconnecting the contact member to the weight, whereby the contact memberis not affected by the vibration of weight;

7. In a relay, in combination, an electromagnet comprising a coil andarmature disposed to be actuated by the coil, a movable weight disposedto be oscillated by the armature, a Contact member mounted on themovable weight, and resilient means for connecting the armature to theweight, the mass of the weight being such that the natural period ofvibration of the weight is dii'erent from the cyclical vibrationproduced in the armature when the coil is energized by an alternatingcurrent, whereby the weight is not affected by the cyclical vibration ofthe armature.

WALTER SCHAELCHLIN.

